Railroad safety device



Dec 12, 1944. GUERRERO 2,364,785

RAILROAD SAFETY DEVICE Filed May 8, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

J Guernm BY :9

Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE RAILROAD SAFETY DEVICE Diego Guerrero, Brooklyn, N. Y. 7 Application May 8, 1943, Serial Nb.4ss,12s 4 Claims; (013105-196) This invention relates to new and useful improvements-in railroad safety devices, and has more particular reference to improvements on my U. Patents No.'2,254,.607 and No. 2,273,705..

More specifically, the invention proposes an improved toy or miniature railroad truck characterized by a certain channel shaped body and -members related in a certain way to each other.

It is proposed that the arms of these channel shaped'body' and members be directed down- 9 wards and that axles be mounted across the armsand support the wheels of the truck. It is proposed that. certain of these arms be provided with fins located directly beneath the axles for engaging beneath the heads of the rails at points 5 directly beneath the wheels.

More specifically, the invention contemplates an arrangement by which one of the channel shaped members is resiliently held in position and movable so that one set of the fins are re tractable to disengage'from the rails. This permits the truck to be lifted oil and replaced on the rails.

The invention furthermore, "contemplates the provision of auxiliary axles and small wheels.

mounted in a certain way on said truck for supportingthe truck when it engages over a rail crossing to prevent the wheels from falling in between the end sections of the rails.

For further'comprehension of the invention,

and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention arev more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a plan view of a railroad truck constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to rails.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. l but illustrated with the. truck shifted to theleft.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3,-3 of Fig. .2. 1 I

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the truck.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the channel shaped members.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another one of the channel shaped members.-

The improved railroad truck,.in accordance with this invention, includes a longitudinally extending channel shaped body ll! having a front arm H and a back arm l2, these arms being di- 1 3 pass.

member 1,6 is disposed within said channel shaped body ill and has a :front'zarm .I:'! and a rear arm .18, these .arms .being directed downwards. .These arms H. and I8 moreover :are located adjacent the inner races of the said flanged wheels 15.. Said arms I] and :-I8 are formed with openings :through which the axles Consequently, the channel shaped member 16 is supported by the said axles l3.

Fins l9 continue from the bottom edge of one of said arms, more specifically, the :arm I1 and extend laterally in one direction and engage beneath the head 2-0 of one of the rails 2| .for the truck; These fins l9 are located directly beneath the. axles I3 andronsequently directly beneath thewheels 15. I v

A .second longitudinally; extendingchannel shaped member 23 is disposed within the channel shaped member 16 and has a downwardlynirected front arm 24 and a downwardly directed rear arm 25. These arms 24 and 25 are formed with openings through which the axles I3 pass. The channel shaped member 23 materially narrower than the channel shapedmember I6, and consequently the channel shaped member 23 is slidable on the axles i3. Resilient means in the nature ofsprings26 are :mounted on the axles l3 and act between the arm I] of .the channel shaped member l6 and the arm, 24 of the channel shaped vmember 2.3 for urging the channel shaped member 23 towards and against the arm l.8 .of the channel shaped member 16.. Finsll continue from the arm .25 of'the channel shaped member 23 and extendzlaterally in the other direction to the direction of'said fins 19. These fins 21 engage beneaththe heads 20 of the rails 2| for the' truck. The fins 2'! are locatedat points directly beneath the axles l3 and therefore directly beneaththe wheels l5.

An auxiliary central axle 30 is mounted on and rected downwards. Several axles I3 are mount- 5 gage these threads 3 4 d are located on opposite sides of the arm 24 and serve to fixedly connect the axle 30 with the channel shaped member 23. One end of the axle 30 is provided with a head 33 by which the axle may be laterally moved for correspondingly moving the channel shaped member 23. Wheels l are mounted upon the central axle 30 at points between the arms of the channel shaped body I0 and the the channel shaped member l6. Spacer tubes 38 are mounted on the axles between the arms I! and I8 of the channel shaped member.

The improved truck, in accordance with this invention, may be readily mounted upon and removed from the rail'system 2|. In Figs. 1 to 3 the truck is shown mounted on the rails. To remove the truck it is merely necessary that the head 33 be pushed inwards to laterally move the central axle 30. This indirectly causes the channel shaped member 23' to be moved laterally so that the fins 21 disengage from beneath the heads 20 of one of the rails 2|. The truck may now be lifted upwards off the track.

The track system 2 I is illustrated with a crossing in which there are small rail sections 4|. Fig. 2 illustrates the way inwhich the small wheels 36 support the truck while the flanged wheels l5 ride over the end portions of the small rail sections 4|. Without the small wheels 36 the flanged wheels 15 would fall down in between the spaces between the rail sections. But this does not occur because at these particular instances, the truck is being supported by the small wheels 36 riding on the rail sections.

A very important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the fins l9 and 21 are located directly beneath the flanged wheels l5.

Consequently, the truck is free to go around All curves which curves without interference. are capable of being negotiated by thewheels l5 wiljbe correspondingly negotiated by the fins l9 or In the event that the track system 2 used for passenger railways and the system has a third rail, such as rail 42 for supplying electric I would be current, it is advisable that the channel shaped member 23 be constructedof insulation material so that there is no likelihood of a short circuit.

The truck may be swivelly and removably mounted on a railroad car in any of the normal ways. If desired, the truck may be rigidly mounted on the locomotive of a train.

On toylocomotives there is but a limited space;

therefore the fins l9 and 21, and the wheel member 36 are rigidly secured to the motor frame. An auxiliary method has been disclosed by which the locomotive may be rem'oved or placed on the rail system 2|. This auxiliary method consists in forming one of the rails 2| with its head 20 provided with a cutout 44. This cutout 44 is of suflicient length so as to allow the fins 21 to pass downwards beneath the head 20 of the rail, or upwards when the truck is removed from the rails.

When the truck is moved away from this point the fins 21 will ride beneath the heads 20 of the rails.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A railroad truck, comprising a longitudinally extending channel shaped body having its front and back arms directed downwards, spaced end axles mounted between said arms, flanged wheels on the end portions of said axles and located adjacent the inside faces of said arms, a longitudinally extending channel shaped member dispo'sed within said channel shaped body and having its arms directed downwards adjacent the inner faces of said flanged wheels and supported on said axles, fins on one of the arms of said member extending laterally in one direction for engaging beneath the head of one of the rails for said truck at points beneath the wheels on the adjacent side of said truck, said channel shaped member having its other arm free, a second longitudinally extending channel shaped member disposed within said channel shaped member and having its arms directed downwards and laterally slidably mounted on said axles, fins on one of the arms of said second named channel shaped member extending laterally and engaging beneath the head of the other of the rails for said truck at points beneath the wheels on'the adjacent side of said truck, said second channel shaped member having its other arm free, resilient means between said members urging the free arms of said first channel shaped member and the arm of said second channel shaped member formed with said fins towards each other, and a central axle mounted on and through the arms of said body and extending through the arms of said members and fixedly connected with the free arm of said second named channel shaped member by which said second named channel shaped member may be slightly moved to free its fins from the head of its respective rail.

2-. A railroad truck, comprising a longitudinally extending channel shaped body having its front and back arms directed downwards, spaced end axles mounted between said arms, flanged wheels on the end portions of said axles and located adjacent the inside faces of said arms, a longitudinally extending channel shaped member disposed within said channel shaped body and having its arms directed downwards adjacent the inner faces of said flanged wheels and supported on said axles, lins on one of the arms of said member extending laterally in one direction for engaging beneath the head of one of the rails for said truck at points beneath the wheels on the adjacent side of said truck, said channel shaped member having its other arm free, a secondlongitudinally extending channel shaped member disposed within said channel shaped member and having its arms directed downwards and laterally slidably mounted on said axles, fins on one of the arms of said sec' ond named channel shaped member extending laterally and engaging beneath the head of the other of the rails for said truck at points beneath the wheels on the adjacent side of said truck, said second channel shaped member having its other arm free, resilient meansbetween said members urging the free arm of said first channel shaped member and the arm of said second channel shaped member formed with said fins towards each other, and a central axle mounted on and through the arms of said body and extending through the arms of said members and fixedly connected with the free arm of said second named channel shaped member by which said second named channel shaped member may be slightly'moved to free its fins tudinally extending channel shaped member disposed within said channel shaped body and having its arms directed downwards adjacent the inner faces of said flanged wheels and supported on said axles, fins on one of the arms of said member extending laterally in one direction for engaging beneath the head of one of the rails for said truck at points beneath the wheels on the adjacent side of said truck, said channel shaped member having its other arm free, a second longitudinally extending channel shaped member disposed within said channel shaped member and having its arms directed downwards and laterally slidably mounted on said axles, fins on one of the arms of said second named channel shaped member extending laterall and engaging beneath the head of the other of the rails for said truck at points beneath the wheels on the adjacent side of said truck, said'second channel shaped member having its other arm free, resilient means between said members urging the free arm of said first channel shaped member and the arm of said second channel shaped member formed with said fins towards each other, and a central axle mounted on and through the arms of said body and extending through the arms of said members and fixedly connected with the free arm of said second named channel shaped member by which said second named channel shaped member-may be slightly moved to free its. fins from thehead of its respective rail, and wheels on said central axle disposed between the arms of said channel shaped body and the first named channel shaped member.'

4. A railroad truck, comprising a, longitudinally extending channel shaped body having its front and back arms directed downwards, spaced end axles mounted between said arms, flanged wheels on the end portions of said axles and located adjacent the inside faces of said arms, a longitudinally extending channel shaped member disposed within said channel shaped body and having its arms directed downwards adjacent the inner faces of said flanged wheels and supported on said axles, fins on one of the arms of said member extending laterally in one direction for engaging beneath the head of one of the rails for said truck at points beneath the wheels on the adjacent side of said truck, said channel V shaped member having its other arm free, a sec-, ond longitudinally extending channel shaped member disposed within ,said channel shaped member and having its arms directed downwards and laterally slidably mounted on said axles, fins on one of the arms of said second named chanthrough th arms of said body and extending through the arms of said members and fixedly connected with the free arm of said second named channel shaped member bywhichsaid second named channel shaped member may be slightly moved to free its fins from the head of its respective rail, said second channel shaped member being an insulation member.

DIEGO GUERRERO. 

